In recent years, trend spotters have announced a growing "culture gap" between those in military service and those in civilian life. Statistics submitted as evidence of this emerging trend are the decreasing numbers of congressional leaders with previous military service, a Clinton administration with few staffers who have active-duty experience, and declining interest in military service by young people.
This "culture gap" should be a source of significant concern among our nation's military and civilian leadership. It already affects recruiting adversely and creates a breach in understanding between those who choose to serve and those who do not. This difference in cultures, with the attendant differences in values that define military and civilian life, are most visibly manifested in the continuing debates about gender-integrated basic training, the "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding sexual orientation, and the appropriateness of adultery as a punishable offense. It is critical that our armed forces receive the full support of all Americans—support that comes from understanding and appreciating the military's mission.
Nurturing a connection between the military and Americans should be a key goal now and in the future. The burden for sustaining this relationship necessarily falls to the military. Since the civilian population is inclined to forget about the military in times of peace and stability, the military's uniformed and civilian leaders must be vigilant on behalf of this goal. A Pentagon briefing before reporters, a recruiting ad, humanitarian missions, military volunteers at work in their communities—all provide opportunities for telling our story.
Against the backdrop of an ongoing process to configure our forces to meet the challenges of the 21st century, it may be helpful to remind decision makers that reservists are a natural bridge between these two worlds. Reservists spend most of their time working and living in the civilian world, where the culture is characterized by the emphasis on maximizing individual freedom. Almost by osmosis, they enter the military world to provide support in a culture defined by duty, sacrifice, and a focus on the group rather than the individual—a world where such values are necessary to accomplish the mission.
The reserve force correspondingly is being shaped for the future. Its primary mission must continue to be the provision of personnel and material assets that commanders-in-chief require and can use on short notice. It may be, however, that an equally important justification for maintaining a reserve force is to keep us connected to our armed forces. Reservists live and work next to typical Americans who are their neighbors. They put a familiar face on the U. S. Navy and are well suited to function as ambassadors between the military and civilian cultures, bridging the gap and doing their part to help the all-volunteer force defend our freedoms effectively. Just as ambassadors represent their country's point of view personally to the host nation, reservists likewise can articulate to the civilian community the unique challenges, requirements, and rewards of military service in a personal manner.
When Americans deploy for an international crisis, humanitarian mission, or potential combat, they must do so as the fellow countrymen, friends, and neighbors of their civilian counterparts—and not as the paid mercenaries of an administration. The culture gap—perceived as a breach of understanding between the military and civilian communities—must be closed if the United States is to send forth its sons and daughters to defend our liberties and those of a free world. Reservists in the workplace who are involved in their communities, churches, and synagogues have a golden opportunity to exemplify, demonstrate, and remind their fellow citizens of those values that always are part-and-parcel of daily military life and make our country great.
The Reverend Fain is rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd in August, Georgia.